Don’t wear your pajamas to job search

The interviewer on the other side of the phone or computer screen may not see your pajamas, but you know you are wearing them. The fact is, it can be difficult to sound like a team leader when you aren’t dressed like one.

The same holds true for how you dress when you’re networking. If you are meeting with friends, former colleagues or referral contacts, dress for the role you are seeking. Casual dress is acceptable in the workplace — and in many places it’s the norm — but that’s when you’re working. When you’re job searching, it pays to always dress professionally. The way you present yourself supports the image you want to convey.

Dressing the part is especially important when your job search seems to be lasting longer than you’d like. The longer the search lasts, the more tempting it is to let your guard down and be more causal in your attire, perhaps thinking than no one notices. But sloppy dressing can equal sloppy business practices.

There are two ways that dressing down can become a barrier to your job-search success. First, is the fact that people remember you for the image you present, and second is that the way you dress reflects your confidence level.

Here’s an example of how the way you dress affects your confidence. I was having a conversation with an accountant who lost his job several months ago. He was describing how with each passing month he was losing the sense of energy he had when he was working. We discussed ways he could keep his energy level high and the ways nonverbal language sends a powerful message. His clothing seemed to be reflecting the way he felt about himself. He was wearing faded jeans, a T-shirt and running shoes. When he was working, he wore dress slacks and shirts, so why should he stop looking professional when out job searching?

It’s easy to be more casually dressed when no one is looking, such as when you’re applying for jobs or talking on the phone. That’s why training seminars suggest having a mirror in front of you while talking to remind you to smile and help you monitor your non-verbal language. The same is true with your clothing.

Before you start your daily job-search activities, think about what your attire says about you. If you wouldn’t wear your pajamas and slippers to the workplace, you might consider changing clothes so you dress the part — even though you are searching from home.

It can be challenging to sell your skills as a top performer when you are wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt that’s seen better days, or you have a three-day beard. Starting with the basics, like setting a daily schedule to work on your search and dressing the for the job you want to have, will help you project energy.

Do you think the way you dress can reflect your confidence during a job search?